Shuttle foam crack puts launch in doubt

Yahoo/AP ^ | 3 July 06 | MIKE SCHNEIDER

[sionnsar]

You're correct. I hate to say it, but we really need to move on. The shuttle was a tremendous step forward in space flight

It's been a long time since my time on the project, but I don't think it was meant to be in service this long.

[sionnsar]

What are they saying?

[BurbankKarl]

sounds like they are going to launch tomorrow...

[hoagy62]

Yak, yak, yak.....

It _sounds_ like they're going to launch...but they're hedging their bets with the meeting at 6:30 ET tonight.

[river rat]

"The new enviromentally-correct formulation is not as good as the original."

As one who worked very closely with NASA in Huntsville, AL - Houston, TX and Cape Canaveral, FL, I can tell you the NASA of today is "not as good as the original" NASA of decades ago.

NASA has suffered the damage that occurs in almost every Government Bureaucracy focused on the appearance of competency and compliance with politically correct social experiments and junk science --- it becomes incompetent and dangerous to the public welfare.

Semper Fi

[BurbankKarl]

The team that found the foam disturbance use telescopes to view the tanks etc. They think the foam fell off in one piece, as the tank expanded and contracted during fuel offloading.

[Central Scrutiniser]

That was expected all along, I'd still go with launch.

BTW, if they launch tomorrow, on Thurs I will get a great view of the shuttle and ISS flying across my night sky.

[theDentist]

I would agree wholeheartedly.

[sionnsar]

I can tell you the NASA of today is "not as good as the original" NASA of decades ago.

I was working at NASA Ames when one researcher glumy announced one day that NASA had reached a milestone: one bureaucrat for every researcher.

[Frwy]

Let's see, am I surprised by this revelation? Ummmmmmmm, uaaaaaaaaaaaa, let me seeeeeeeeee, nope I'm not even a teensy weensy bit surprised.

[Lawgvr1955]

I can't believe that in 30 years, with all the great minds that NASA has and has had, that they couldn't come up with a better design. Probably should have called Burt Rutan a couple decades ago.

[brewcrew]

Okay, I'll say it: Foam? This is 2006, people. Everything else is designed using "space age technology." Foam? You'd think we would come up with something better than foam...

It sounds like we're getting ready to shave the damned thing.

[John W]

NBC News: NASA to announce it will attempt shuttle launch Tuesday

[John W]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13666974/

[sionnsar]

I can't believe that in 30 years, with all the great minds that NASA has and has had, that they couldn't come up with a better design.

30.. no, OVER 30 years ago NASA was overrun by bureaucrats and functionaries. The great minds still there have no doubt come up with better designs, but were likely overruled by one political(ly correct) consideration or another.

[sionnsar]

Okay, I'll say it: Foam? This is 2006, people. Everything else is designed using "space age technology." Foam?

"Foam" is a catchall term describing a manufacturing process/result. You wouldn't want to shave with this "foam" -- it's not fluid (think Styrofoam), and it has to remain intact through some "dynamic vibrations" and pressures during ascent that would likely kill you were you alongside it.

I return you to your brewski. *\;-)